Four Ann Arbor city council members chose to kneel during the Pledge of Allegiance at a meeting on Monday, Oct. 16.

Chip Smith, 5th Ward; Chuck Warpehoski, 5th Ward; Sumi Kailasapathy, 1st Ward; and Jason Frenzel, 1st Ward; moved in front of the council’s table, turned toward the flag and took a knee when it came time to recite the Pledge of Allegiance after the meeting was called to order.

On his website, Warpehoski explained his participation:

“I can’t speak to what is in each person’s heart, but for me to ‘take a knee’ is an act of attention, of concern, and of respect. And it is in that spirit that I take a knee at tonight’s City Council meeting: out of respect for the aspiration that we be a nation ‘with liberty and justice for all,’ with full attention that we fall short of that ideal in many ways, and with humble dedication to continue to work that the promise of the pledge may be fulfilled.”

“For me, taking a knee is also showing solidarity with the group of people who have been doing this at the national level,” Councilwoman Kailasapathy said. “For me, flags and the pledge of allegiance are symbols. That’s okay, for me, they are symbols. But for me, democracy’s more than just symbolic; it’s actually upholding democratic practices.”

“I would like to judge my patriotism by my actions when I uphold these values,” she added. “I hope you understand.”

The others involved in the social justice stunt didn’t release public statements.